PM Monitoring

The species-specific PM removal potential has been determined during the proGIreg project for the plant species present in different type of nature-based solutions implemented during the project, in four cities. Namely, this study has been conducted for NBS1 and NBS3 in Dortmund, NBS2, NBS3 and NBS5 in Turin, for NBS3 in Ningbo and for NBS3 and NBS5 in Zagreb. Particulate matter (PM) abatement has been detected by monitoring its deposition on leaves, at different particle size fractions. PM abatement is measured by selecting young leaves, from trees of the same species, sampled within the different NBSs. Three replicate branches have been collected per plant, and two leaves per branch have been analysed by Scanning Electron Microscopy combined with Energy Dispersed X-Ray (SEM/EDX) microanalysis, obtaining a quanti-qualitative characterization of the deposited particles, as a function of their size and elemental composition. In addition, the amount of atmospheric PM removed by deposition per unit leaf area is obtained. These data result to be useful for the upscaled evaluation of each NBS potential towards the removal of this specific atmospheric pollutant.